[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46072-46073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11565]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XV199]


Request for Information on the NOAA Space Weather Scales (SWS)

AGENCY: National Weather Service (NWS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice; request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) within NOAA NWS 
seeks information from interested parties regarding a possible revision 
to the Space Weather Scales (SWS), which are issued to communicate to 
the public current and future space weather conditions and possible 
effects on people and systems.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before July 31, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The public may submit written comments on issues addressed 
in this notification by either of the following methods:
    Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and 
type ``NOAA-NWS-2024-0069'' in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment'' 
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Mail: Submit written comments to Amy Macpherson, NOAA, 7220 NW 
101st Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153.
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above 
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and 
considered by the Department of Commerce. Comments sent by any other 
method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end 
of the comment period, may not be considered. All comments received are 
a part of the public record and may be posted for public viewing 
without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, 
address) submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit confidential business information, or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information. The Department will 
accept anonymous comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Macpherson, NOAA, 7220 NW 101st 
Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153, [email protected], or 816-287-
1344

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA introduced the SWS in 1999 to 
communicate to the public current and future space weather conditions 
and possible effects on people and systems. However, space weather 
capabilities, user base, and user needs have grown and changed 
dramatically over the last two decades, and the SWS are challenged in 
supporting the growing stakeholder needs. In December 2023, the White 
House Office of Science and Technology Policy's National Science and 
Technology Council published the Implementation Plan for the National 
Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan. One of the actions directed the 
agencies to ``Update and expand, as appropriate, the NOAA space weather 
scales. NOAA scales should be updated and expanded with a focus on 
forecasting impacts and specifying how space weather will 
differentially affect systems, industries, sectors, or regions.''
    NOAA is undertaking a revision to the SWS and through this request 
for information (RFI) is soliciting public input to gather feedback 
from a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from 
industry, academia, other relevant organizations and institutions, and 
the general public. The public input provided in response to this RFI 
will inform NOAA in the scales revision process. Current NOAA Space 
Weather Scale descriptions can be found at: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation

Discussion Points to Inform the SWS Revision

    NOAA seeks input into revising the space weather scales with 
discussion on

[[Page 46073]]

the following points, to the extent feasible:
    1. Articulate what NOAA's space weather scales are used and 
describe how are they used in missions and inform sector operations. If 
there are other uses of the scales, please describe.
    2. Please discuss the benefits of using the NOAA's space weather 
scales and how they are useful. Include scenarios and situations of how 
the space weather scales are useful for operators or how they are 
useful in decision-making.
    3. Describe challenges or difficulties in using the space weather 
scales. Please include information regarding the content, context, and 
information provided by the scales.
    4. Provide suggested changes to the space weather scales including 
articulating what aspects could be improved. Consider how the space 
weather scales are communicated and provide suggestions for how scales 
communication could be improved. In addition, discuss the impact to 
your mission if the scales were to change.
    5. Offer ideas for developing a new space weather scale(s). Include 
what phenomenon should be captured by a potential new scale(s), discuss 
how thresholds for a potential new scale(s) would be determined, and 
provide some scenarios on how a new scale(s) would be used by the 
community.
    Please note that this is an RFI only. In accordance with the 
implementing regulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
specifically 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4), this general solicitation is exempt 
from the PRA. Facts or opinions submitted in response to general 
solicitations of comments from the public, published in the Federal 
Register or other publications, regardless of the form or format 
thereof, provided that no person is required to supply specific 
information pertaining to the commenter, other than that necessary for 
self-identification, as a condition of the agency's full consideration, 
are not generally considered information collections and therefore not 
subject to the PRA.

    Dated: May 21, 2024.
Michael Farrar,
Director, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, National 
Weather Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-11565 Filed 5-24-24; 8:45 am]
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